Tool.



1. c. MAXSON & W. 0. WALKER.

APPLICATION Fl EB. 23, I9l5.

Patemlzedl. 1M. 5, 1918 TOOL.

' Application filed February 28, 1916.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN C. Maxson and WVILLIAM 0. Human, citizens of the United States, residing at Corning, in the county of l emaha, State of Kansas, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Tools; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention. relates to tools for applying anti-skid chains, commonly known as weed-chains, to the tires of motor vehicles, the object of the invention being to provide an article of extreme simplicity wherein its members will have a pivotal movement with respect to each other to approach their chain-engaging jaws to draw the end links of the chain toward each other up to and never beyond a spacing slightly less than the usual coupling member of the chain.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction wherein the jaws may be adjusted so that their chain-engaging hooked extremities will. initially have different maximum spacings to suit the initial suppressions of the ends of each side chain member the hooked ends having substantially the same limit Off mutual approachment in different positions of adjustment.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevational. view of the device;

Fig. 2 is a plan view;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view the manner in which mounted; and

Fig. 4c is a detail. of one of the chain engaging jaws.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing includes a bar 1 which acts as a handle and which has on one end a tire tool 2 and on the other end a chain engaging jaw which includes a pair of spaced prongs 8. One edge of this bar 1 is provided with a series of depressions 4: which are substantially semi-circular in form. A movable jaw member 5 is mounted on the bar 1 slidably. This jaw member is provided at one end with a chain engaging jaw which includes a pair of spaced prongs 6 similar to the prongs 3 and is provided at the other end with a slot 7 through which the bar 1 extends. The end of the'slot re mote from the prong 6 is closed by means of showing the movable jaw is Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 5, rare. Serial No. 80,967.

a transversely extending integral bar 8 which is adapted to seatin any of the depressions 4- and the inner face of which is semicircular so that the aw member limay have a' rocking movement when the bar is seated in one of the said depressions. The jaw on the end of the bar is of greater length than the thickness of the bar and the slot 7 in the jaw member 5 is equal substantially in width to the thickness of the portion. of the bar contiguous to the depressions 4 so that the jaw member is prevented from being displaced from the bar at the jaw end. The thickness of the bar increases away from the aw end until it is of greater thick 'ness than the width of the slot so that the aw member will be prevented from dis placement from the end of the bar remote from the jaw end.

lVith this construction it will be noticed that the two ends of the chain may be gripped by the jaws and when so gripped the handle 1 may be actuated to draw the ends together. Fin-thermore at this time the jaw member and the handle member willv have free relative movement so that the ends of the chain may be readily pulled together.

In the operation of the device, the hook at the end of one of the jaws receives in its slot between its prongs. the narrow neck behind the eudmost link at one end of the side member of the chain while the hook of the opposite jaw is engaged behind the usual coupling, the member 5 being slid along the bar 1 and the cross bar or web 8 is engaged in the proper depression 4. The bar 1 then swung in a direction away from the hooked end of the member 5 with the result that the side chain ends are drawn toward each other until the wall of the slot 7 opposite to the web 8 strikes the bar 1, when the link at one end of the side chain will be found to overlie the notched edge of the coupling and may be pressed readily thereinto. With reverse movement of the bar 1, the hooks may be disengaged. It will be noticed that the notches 4 are semi-circular notches so that the web 8 remains engaged whether the member 5 is in the position illustrated with respect to the member 1 or whether it is swung to its opposite position as when engaged with the widely separated ends of a chain.

What we claim is A special tool for placing anti-skid chains on motor Vehicle tires, consisting of a bar having one end portion directed rearwardly with a compound curve, the chords of Which are at an obtuse angle to the remainder of the bar and provided at its extremity With fingers spaced apart to receive a chain link therebetween, the bar having arc-shaped similarly thereto and having spaced fingers directed toward the first-named fingers and adapted to receive a link betweenthem, the

Copies of this patent may be obtained for outer wall of the passage having a rounded edge disposed to interchangeably engage the notches for pivotal'movement of the second member to touch the inner wall of the passage against the bar at both sides of the second member at right angles to the bar, said inner wall of the passage being disposed to touch the bar with the finger ends in marked spaced relation.

In testimony whereof, we afiix our signatures, in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN C. MAXSON. WILLIAM 0. \VALKER.

\Vitnesses:

J. W. Annnnws, W. H. HENSCI-IELE.

five cents each, by addressing the Gommissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

